1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a module for a liquid crystal display device (LCD). More particularly, the present invention relates to an LCD module capable of preventing light leakage resulting from mechanical deformation of the LC panel by more evenly distributing the weight of the LC panel.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
LCD devices have excellent visibility, low power consumption, and generate less heat compared with a cathode ray tube (CRT). Accordingly, LCD technology are considered to be one of the next-generation display device technologies for televisions and computer monitors. The advantages of LCD technology also make it well suited for applications such as cellular phones and appliances.
An LCD displays an image by selectively attenuating transmitted light in each pixel in the display. An LCD has an LCD panel, which includes a liquid crystal (LC) material that is disposed between two thin glass plates. The LC material is in an intermediate phase between solid and liquid. The two glass plates, or substrates, have electrodes formed on one or more of their inner surfaces, and one of the substrates has a separate electrode for each pixel. By controlling an electric field between the two substrates, the molecular alignment of the LC material can be controlled to selectively control the transmission of light at each pixel.
Since the LCD panel does not actively emit light, the LCD requires a light source such as a lamp to allow a displayed content to be visually recognized. Generally, an LCD module used for a display device has a backlight assembly as a light source, which is adjacent to the rear of the LCD panel.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an LCD module according to the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the module 100 of an LCD includes an LCD panel 110 disposed on the front side of the module 100; a backlight assembly 130 installed on the backside of the LCD panel 110; a panel guide 120 for seating the LCD panel 110; a front cover 121 for supporting the LCD panel 110 at a peripheral area of the LCD panel front surface; and a rear cover 123 having a rectangular shape, which encloses the lower surface of the backlight assembly 130 and couples with the front cover 121.
The backlight assembly 130 includes a plurality of lamps 131 arranged in parallel to each other at a constant interval along the rear cover 123; a reflector 134 disposed at the rear of the lamps 131, for reflecting light emitted from the lamp 131 toward the front side of the module; and optical sheets 135 and 136 disposed forward the lamp 131, for enhancing the efficiency of light emission.
The panel guide 120 seats, fixes, and supports the LCD panel 110 and has a receiving space to install the lamps 131 of the backlight assembly 130 along one of its edges. Wires (not shown) for supplying power from the outside are respectively connected to both ends of the lamps 131. The backlight assembly 130, including the reflector 134 and the optical sheets 135 and 136 is inserted and fixed into position according to the panel guide 120, and the LCD panel 110 for displaying information using light transferred from the backlight assembly 130 is disposed in front of the optical sheets.
The rear cover 123 has a coupling groove formed in a predetermined interval on its back side that corresponds to the panel guide 120. The rear cover 123 has an L-shape around its periphery, substantially enclosing the rear and side edges of the backlight assembly 130. The rear cover 123 is generally made of aluminum.
The front cover 121 has an L-shape around its periphery and is coupled with the rear cover 123 to prevent the LCD panel 110 from being detached from the panel guide 120.
FIG. 2 illustrates an LCD panel 110 seated on the panel guide 120 illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the four edge sides of the LCD panel 110 are seated on the panel guide 120. The panel guide 120 has one side on which the LCD panel 110 stands, referred to as the bottom edge, which includes ribs spaced at a predetermined interval. Accordingly, the LCD panel 110 is supported by the ribs of the panel guide 120.
If the LCD panel 110 is small, the weight of the LCD panel, and thus the pressure on the bottom edge of the guide panel 120, can be ignored. However, larger LCD panels exert pressure on the bottom edge of the guide panel 120 that can mechanically deform the LCD panel. Increasing the width of the rib on the bottom edge of the panel guide 120 fails to distribute the pressure exerted by the weight of the LCD panel.
Accordingly, it is difficult to secure uniform rigidity over an entire width of the LCD panel, given the plastic characteristics of the ribs of the guide panel 120. This results in concentrated pressure applied to the portions of the LCD panel that correspond to the ribs of the panel guide, causing bending. Bending of the LCD panel results in light leakage due to local optical interferences in the panel. The arrangement of the LC molecules in the LCD panel changes due to the concentrated pressure, producing light leakage that results in lines of increased brightness.